Russian lawmakers authorize Putin to use military force outside the country

[robkelk]

I think the end move here might be for Ukraine to cede Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia’s client states, as they didn’t have much control there anyway, and Russia can spin it into a victory domestically.

It might come to that, but there's about as much acceptance of the idea among Ukranian-Canadians as there is in the US to the USA ceding Maine to Canada. And I understand (with no evidence) opinions in Ukraine are even less inclined to such a solution. It would probably result in the end of the current government.

Oh, yes - because of the uncertainty connected to this unpleasantness, gas prices in parts of Canada are expected to cross the $US5/USgallon mark tomorrow, going up. Assuming you can find gas at all.